Message-recording apparatus.



F. A. SKELTON. MESSAGE REGORDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 28, 190B.

Patented Oct. 26, 1909.

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MESSAGE RECORDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED on. 2a, 1909.

938 ,441 Patented Oct. 26, 1909.

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' i 11) 6702571 Em FRANCIS A. SKELTON, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

MESSAGE-RECORDING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 28, 1908. Serial No. 459,822.

ratus for recording electrically transmitted messages, my invention being particularly adapted for use in connection with mu nicipal telegraph or' signaling systems wherein any desired one of a set of definite signals or messages can be transmitted from sub-stations to headquarters, as in the case of police and fire alarm signal apparatus. In such systems the sub-stations are usually boxes located at suitable intervals in thestreet, and the messages or signals can be turned in from any one ofthe boxes by an authorized person, citizen or patrolman, or both, as the case may be. i

There are numerous systems for the purposes set forth, and a olice signal system is shown and described 111 United States Patent No. 380719 granted to Wilson April 10, 1888, the incoming signals being received at a central station and being recorded by a register which effects feed movement of a record-receiving strip upon which the signal or message printed by a combination of dots and dashes. The recording operation requiresthe use of a printing member, such for instance as a marking roll, intermittingly brought into contact with the moving record-receiving strip for a long or short interval, as called for by the incoming message, mcans to supply the printing member with ink being also provided. The use of ink is objectionable for various reasons, but when the printing mechanism is operating properly a clear and legible record is made, which can be instantly and easily read.

Inmy present invention leliminate altogether the use of ink or similar material, and make the desired record by slotting the record s receiving member, preferably the usual strip or ribbon of paper, the length of each slot being determined by'the electrically-controlled means by which the message is transmitted and by which the operation of the-slotting device is' governed. That is,

short slots correspond to dots, and dashes are represented by longer slots.

It is usual to so arrange the registering mechanism that the messages coming in from a plurality of sub-stations will be re- I, corded on the one record-receiving strip, the feed movement of the strip being begun automatically when a message is turned in, and it is of great importance that practically lie-resistance be offered to the uniform feed of the-strip. That is, if a message is coming in a second or a third message may come in, in rapid succession or a plurality of messages may come in at once, and manifestly if any of the record-making devices acts to impair the uniform feed of the strip not only will that particular message be-recorded incorrectly, but all others which may come in at the same time will be recorded improperly, resulting in great confusion and preventing any proper reading of a message.- Hence in usmg a device to record the message by slots it will be at once obvious that no retardation or stoppage of the feed movement of the strip can be permitted. If a short slot is made, corresponding to a dot, the slotting member enters and is instantaneously withdrawn from the strip, so quickly that the retardation of the strip is very slight, and might possibly be of no great importance, but when the slotting member must remain in engagement with the moving strip for an appreciable period of time a very different prob lem is presented. -lhe retarding action upon the strip due to such longer engagement with the slotting member must be eliminated and irregular tearing of the stri must also be avoided. Another factor 0 relatively less importance is the resistance to withdrawal of the slotting member after it has penetrated the moving strip, for the path of movement of the slotting member intersects the path' along which the paper strip is moving, and engagement of the strip and said member tends to stop feed of the strip Patented Oct. 26, 1909.

and to hinder withdrawal or disengagement of the slotting member.

Having these various tendencies and re- 'quirements in mind I have devised a.slotformingrecording apparatus which embodies in its construction and operation the required freedom of action and which eliminates the objectionable features and tendencies herehibefore pointed out. To that end the slotting member is so mounted upon its plane of movement of the strip while said member is also moved in unison with the strip. The maximum slot is determined by the length of the shearing or cutting edge of the slotting member, and said member will be automatically disengaged from the strip even should the controlling magnet be energized, while for short dash-like slots the disengagement takes place simultaneously with the denergizing of the controlling magnet.

By eliminating any tendency of the slotting member to retard or stop feed movement of the strip I am enabled not only to record each messa e cleanly and in an accurate and well-defined manner, but to use my apparatus as a multiple-signal recorder, for any convenient number of messages may be simultaneously recorded, depending upon the width of the record strip.

The various novel features of my invention will be fully described in the subjoined' specification and particularly pointed out in the following claims.

Figure 1 is a side elevation. of a recording apparatus embodying one form of my invention, the slotting member being shown in operative engagement with the'recordreceiving member at the instant it has penetraied said strip; Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail showing in full lines the slotter after it has penetrated the strip and is being moved in unison with the latter to contmue the slot, the dotted lines showing the slotter as just leaving the strip after the formation of a slot of maximum length; Fi 3 is a perspective view of a portion .0 the recordreeeiving member with slots therein, to lllllS- trate the action of the slotter; Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the parts illustrated in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a top plan View of a multiple-signal set, showing four slot-forming devices arran ed side by side, the coresof the magnets an the Supports for the armature ing shown in section. I will first describe one practical embodiment of my novel recording apparatus here;

in illustrated and referring to ig.'1'a suitable electro-magnet 1 is arrangedto have its poles 2 cooperate with an armature 3 PIV- otall mounted at 4.- on a bracket 5 depending rom a convenient overhead stand 6- supporting the magnet in inverted position. The retractive movement of the armature is limited by a stop-screw 7 adjustably sup-v with a transverse, rounded rib 10 at the left of the fulcrum 4, to support the inner end of a carrier ll connected with the armature by screws 12 on opposite sides of said rib, so that by tightening one and loosening the other screw the outer, left hand of the carrier may be raised or lowered relatively to the armature, the carrier thus being in practice an adjustable extension of said arma ture, normally rigid therewith. The outer end of the carrier 11 is bifurcated to present parallel cars 13 between which the slotting member is pivoted at 14 above the path of movement of the record-receiving member, which is a long paper ribbon or strip R, such as commonly used in recording apparatus employed in connection with electric signaling systems. A retracting spring 16 is attached at one end to the armature 3 on the side of its fulcrum 4 opposite to the magnet 1, the other end of said spring being carried around a stud l6 and attached to an adjusting screw 17 on the bracket 5, rotation of the screw in one or the other direction increasing or decreasing the tension of the spring, as may be necessary. From an inspection of Fig. 1 it will be manifest that the spring not only moves the carrier awa from the strip R to normal, inoperative position, but it also serves as the retracting instrumentality for the armature 3 when the magnet 1 is deenergized, at such time holding the armature a ainst the adjustable stop or detent 7. Said detent 7 also acts through the armature to limit the retractive movement of the carrier as will be apparent.

It will be observed that whenever the magnet 1 is energized the attraction of the armature 3.will depress the free end of the carrier 11, and in the present embodiment this movement is arranged to move the slotter into engagement with the record-receiving member or strip R to penetrate and slot the same,- each attraction of the armature effecting a slot the length of which is determined by the duration of the period during which the magnet continues to be energized. That is, if a signal is transmitted over the signalingicircuit consisting of, say,

three short breaks and one long one, (said circuit being normally closed) corresponding to three dots and a dash, the armature 3 will be attracted and held for three successive short periods and then for a longer period, and the record on the strip will appear as three short slots and one longer one, as shown in Fig. 3.

The slotter is of peculiar construction, and is herein shown as having a substautiall triangular shape, made of stiff plate meta such as hard brass or steel, as-desired, the

' rest, Fig. 1, and a message is sent in from body 18 being pivoted at its upper corner at 14 between the ears 13 of the carrier11, the upper edge 19 of the body normally being held against the end of an adjustable stop- -screw on the carrier by means of a light mains below the pivot14, so that even should the slotter beswung forward and outward far enough to engage 'the stop finger 22 said s ring will be in condition to return the s otter to normal position relatively to the carrier, as shown in Fig. 1.

The lower corner of the slotter is prolonged to form a pointed or substantially V- shaped penetrating tooth 23', and the rear or lower edge 24 of. the body is made as a circular are extending from the tooth to the point 25, struck from the pivot 14 as a center, and of such radius that when the armature is attracted, as in Fig. 1, the curved edge 24 will continuously intersect and pass across the plane of the record-receiving strip R if the slotter is swung on its pivot 14 until the point 25 contacts with the surface of the strip.- Beneath the penetrating tooth I provide a support for thestrip, made as a rotatable roll 26, having an annular groove 27 therein slightly wider than the transverse thiclmess of the tooth 23, and of such a depth that the tooth will clear the bottom of the groove when in the position shown in Fig. 1.

The record receiving strip R is drawn from a suitable reel R", Fig.1, around a guide-roll 28 and thence forward in a preferably horizontal path over the supporting roll 26 and between two feed rolls 29, 30, the

former being positively rotated when a message is to be recorded, imparting feed movement to the strip R in the direct-ion of an row 31. i

The mechanism for rotating the feed'rolls may be of any suitable construction, connected with a pinion 32 on the roll 29, the mechanism forming no part of my invention, one form of such mechanism being shown in United'States Patent No. 426554, dated April 29, 1890, the upper roll being yieldingly held against the strip by a spring 33. Y

In recordin ap aratus of this class it is common to e ect eed of the record-receiving strip at a uniform speed when a message is sent in, thefeed being automatically started and stopped, as is well known to those familiar wlth such apparatus. Supposing that the recording apparatus is at a sub-station, it being understood that the magnet 1 is included'in a relay circuit, and

that the signaling circuit is normally closed. l/Vhen the message .is sent in the feed-rolls 29, 30 are automatically set in-motion and feed movement of the record-receiving strip R begins, and when the magnet 1 is energized by closure of the relay circuit the armature 3 is attracted, thereby depressing the outer end of the carrier 11 and moving the slotting member 18 toward the strip, the pointed tip of zhe tooth 23 penetratingthe strip and passi g into the groove 27 of the su porting roll 26, as in Fig. 1.

eferring to F1 1 it will be seen that the tip. or point 0 the tooth 23 is at such time a slight distancebehind or to the right of the center of the grooved roll 26, the slotter being set for thls purpose by' means ofthe adjustable stop-screw 15, in order to leave an unbroken portion of the strip R between successive short slots corresponding to short dashes, but longerthan' the, shortest slots which correspond to dots. Remembering that the strip R is moving forward at a uniform speed and that its feed movement must not be retarded or stopped, when the tooth 23 penetrates the strip a short slot or perforation is made, and if the impulse is short the magnet 1 is instantly denergized and the spring 16 retracts the armature and lifts the carrier and the slotter to normal pos'ition, the tooth 23 being withdrawn entirely from the strip. Short as is the time the tooth is down, in. such case, there would be some tendency to retard the feed of the strip,but the instant penetration is effected the feed movement of the strip acting upon the rear edge of the tooth and the lowercurved edge 24 causes the slotter 18 to swing on its pivot 14, moving in unison with the'strip, the spring 20 ofi'ering no appreciable resistance. \Vith a short impulsethe movement of the $10 er in unison .With the strip and relatively o the carrier 11 is of very short duration, for upon-delinergization of the magnet 1 the carrier rises, and with it the slotter, and the latter is disengaged from the strip and is brought back to normal position by the spring 20. Short as it is, however, the small portion ofthe. edge 24 which has crossed the plane of the strip has acted to out a short piece or tongue from the strip, the edge 24 acting in conjunction with ,the sides of the groove 27 to make two parallel shear-cuts in the strip.

extending from the point of penetration of the tooth 23 rearwardto the'pointat which the rise of the carrier disengaged the slotter from the strip. Now, ifthe magnet 1 remains energized for a longer period the angular movement of the slotter relatively to its carrier 11 will be greater, and :a greater portion of the curved edge 24 will liiove across the plane of the strip, the latter the slot, viz :the duration of the peri being actedupo'n 'bysuccessiveparts of said edge, so that a longer tongue will be separated by a shearing cut from the strip, and a long instead ofa short perforation will be made, terminated as before by the rise of the carrier when the magnet is deenergized. I have thus provided for the formation of short slots and for lon er ones corresponding to dashes, but a stifi longer slot will be made if the carrier is held depressed until the entire curved ed e 24 has traversed the plane ofthe strip but when thepoint 25 reaches the strip t m shearing action ceases automatically, even if the carrier is still depressed, because at that point the edge of the slotter becomes tangent to the plane of the strip. The formation of such maximum slot exerts noniore of a retarding 'action upon the stri than does the formation of the shortest 5 0t, as will be apparent from the foregoin bein usedor an emergency call, or one requiring attention at the main or central station.

The support of the strip by the roll 26 at each-side of the groove therein, and the assage of the shearing edge 24 across the p ane of the stri and through the groove, as described e ects the clear and sharp shearcuts which form the parallel sides of each slot, the width of thetongue being equal to the thickness of the slotter 18,,the ton ues punched out of the stri being indicate at r", Fig. 3. By setting t e slotter so that the point of its tooth penetrates the strip a slight istance back of the center ofthe grooved roll, as has been referred to, the sli ht forward swinging movement imparted to the slotter by t e feed of the strip insures the next descent of the tooth far enough'behind the slot Previously made to leave a proper length 0 the strip intervening between successive short slots,-for as the carrier risesthe slotter returns to normal relative position, carrying back the tooth of said slotter so that on its next descent it, will'penetrate the strip behind the clearance space, the strip moving forward in the meantime.

It will be understood that in a multiplesignal recording apparatus there will be, as many slotters as there are signal circuits, and that the-supporting roll 26 will have an annular groove 27 for cod eration with each perforator, as shown ig. 5. By mountmg the roll to rotate freely no drag is exerted upon the striplR passing thereover, and the shearin action u n the strip is facilitated, and have foun -in practice that it is advisable to make the diameter of such roll as small as possible.

From the foregoing explanation it will be seen that twofactors overn' the len 15 of uring which the slotter-controlling magnet is energized, and the length of the arc of the explanation, such long slot late the length of the slot.

curved edge 24: which crosses or traverses the plane of the moving record-receiving strip.

From an inspection of Fig. 5 it will be seen that the employment of a group or set of the slotting devices is readily effected, and with but very slight change in the construction. That is, the several armatures 3 are shown as bent laterally to bring their free ends nearer together, the carriers 11 being unchanged, and the electro-inagnets'l are ovalin cross-section, rather than circular, with their cores, shown in section, fiat instead of cylindrical.

The width of the record-receiving strip will vary according to circumstances, from one-half inch for a single recording device to ten inches for a set of thirty recording devices, a two-inch wide strip being suitable for a four-set mechanism such as shown in Fig. 5, the strip support 26 having a groove or recess for each slotter.

While I have herein illustrated my invention in detail in connection with a police signal system it is not restricted thereto as it can be used with equal facility for fire alarm systems. In the latter case, inasmuch as all the slots are of uniform len th corresponding to dashes, the segmenta shearing edge of the slotter will be made the length required to produce the slot desired, and in actual practice the length of the said edge will be shorter than is required for making the maximum slot in police signal work.

.Various changes or modifications in details of, construction and arrangement may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the s irit and scope of my invention as set fort in the claims annexed hereto.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as newand desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In recording apparatus in which a record-receiving member is adapted to be moved at uniform speed during the recording of a message, in combination, a slotter having a shearing ed e and intermittingly movable to intersect t e path of movement of said member and effect penetration thereof by the leading end of said edge,'and also movable in unison therewith after such enetration, to cause successive portions 0t said edge to engage and cut a slot in said member, and means to determine the duration of movement of the slotter in unison with the record-receiving member, to thereby regu- 2. In recording apparatus in which a record-receiving member is adapted to be moved at uniform speed during the recording of a message, in combination an electrically-controlled carrier vibratable toward and fro the ath of -movement of said member, (1 a otter movable with and also relatively to the-carrier, and having a shearing edge, to penetrate the said member and to move in unison therewith thereafter, successive portions of the shearing edge cross- I ing ofa message, a slotter having an elonated convex shearing edge, means to cause it to penetrate the said member, and means whereby the slotter is moved by and n unisonwith said member after initial penetramember is unretarded.

4. In recording apparatus in which a rec-- er is adapted to beroll over which said strip is move tion thereof, to cause successive portions of" sa1d edge to pass through and cut the recordreceiving member and form a slot therein.

while the movement of such record-receiving ord-receiving mem moved at uniform-speed during the recording of a message, a'slotter movable toward and from said ,member and also movable in unison therewith, electrically-controlled means to cause the slotter to penetrate said member, and means whereby successive p0rtions of the slotterthereafter engage and shear said member to thereby elongate the initial perforation while the slotter is mov- Iiong in unison with the record-receiving mem- 5. In recording a paratus in which a record-receiving mem er is adapted to be moved at uniform speed during the recording of a message, a grooved support over which said membempasses, a slotter having a shearing edge movable into and across the path of movement of said member to penetrate the same and enter the groove, means whereby the slot er 's moved in the direction of movement of a d by the record-receiving.

member after initial penetration thereof, to cause successive portions of the shearing edge to engage and makeacontinuing cut in said mem er, means to overn movement of the slotter 'to'wa'rdan fromsaid' member and determine thereby the frequency and individual length of the slots formedtherein'.

6. In 'reeordingapparatus in which a record-"strip is adapted to be moved at uniform speed during the formation of a record, in combination, a rotatable, annular? grooved I 7 ,a slotter movable into and across the path ofmovement of the strip to penetrate the same and enter the groove in the roll and also movable by and in unison with the strip after penetration thereof, and an elongated, convex, shearing edge on the slotter, successive portions of su'ch'edge being. brought into engagement with and cutting the strip during and electrically-controlled such latter movement of the slot-ter to complete the slot therein, and means to determine the length of the completed slot in the strip. 7

7 In recording apparatus in which a record-receiving strip 1s adapted to be moved longitudinally and continuously during the formation of a record, in combinatlon, a slotter having a tooth and a se mental edge adjacent thereto, an electrically-controlled carrier on which the slotter is pivotally mounted, said carrier being movable toward the strip to cause the tooth of the slotter to penetrate the strip, the segmental edge intersecting the path of movement of the strip and acting, during pivotal movement of the slotter relatively to the carrier, to continue in the form of a slot the perforation made by penetration of the strip by the tooth, ref traction of the carrier disengaging the slotter from the strip and termmat-ing the cutting actionof the segmental edge, and a device to automatically return the slotter to normal position relative to the carrier after such disengagement. i

8. ,In recording apparatus in which a record-receiving member has a feed movement during the, formation of a record, in combination, a slotter adjacent said member and provided with a segmental shearing edge, electrically-controlle means to effect relative movement of said member and slotter to cause the latter to penetrate the former and bring the shearing ed e. into enga ment with said member, an means where y the slotter is moved by the feed movement of the record-receiving member in unison therewith after penetration, to cause successive portions of the shearing edge to out said member and complete the perforation therein.

' 9. In recording apparatus in which a record-receiving member is adapted to bemoved f at uniform speed duringthe formation of a record, a plurality of independent, intermittingly movable slotters each adapted to penetrate said members and to move in unison therewith after such penetration, and a shearing edge on each slotter, successive portions of theedge acting upon said member to cut it and complete a slot of greater or less length, and means to determine the duration of unison movement of each slotter, whereby the length of a slot formed-thereby is con- 12o trolled.

10. In recording apparatus, in, combination, a rotatable roll provided with aseries of annular grooves and'over which a reeord-receiving-strip isada ted to be moved at uniforih speed during 1; e formation ofa record, an series of slotters mdependentl movable toward and from the :stripias it passes over the roll, and also movable in unison with the strip, each slotter havingi a tooth and a segmental -edge adjacent thereto, to penetrate the strip andenter one graphic messages, in which a record-receiv lng stri is adapted to be moved at uniform of the grooves in the roll, and electricallycontrolled means governing the bodily movement of each slot-ter toward and from the strip, the segmental-edge of a slotter whose tooth has penetrated the strip thereafter engaging the strip and continuing the initial receivin the strip a perforations therein of varying and perforation while the slotter 1s movedv in unison with the strlp.

11. In recording apparatus, in combination, a recessed support over which a recordstrip is Ion itudinally movable durin t 'e formation 0 a record, and electrical -contro1led means including a segmenta shear, to intermittingly penetrate the moving strip and move in unison therewith, successive portions of the shear enga ing ter penetration thereof to orm elongated perforations or slots therein of determinate length, the recess in the support permitting penetration of the strip as it moves thereover.

12. In recording apparatus, in which a record-receivin strip 18 moved at a uniform speed during t e formation of a record in combination, an electricall -controlled carrier vibratable toward and from the strip, a slotter pivoted on the carrier and having a pointed tooth and an adjacent at ental shearing edge, and a strip-supporting roll.

having an annular groove to receive the tooth after penetration of the strip and to cotiperate thereafter with the shear ng edge, to cut the strip in the direction of its movement and thereby continue the perforation initiated by the penetration of the tooth.-

13. In recording apparatus in which a record-receiving strip is adapted to be moved at uniform speed during the formation of a record, electrically-controlled means including an ahgularly movable member having a convex shearing edge, to inter mittin ly penetrate the moving stri and form e ongated perforations or slots t erein of determinate length without retardation of thestrip, each penetration of the strip initiating a perforation and angular movement of the member effecting completion thereof by the shearing edge.

14:. In recording apparatus in which a record-receiving strip 1s adapted to be moved at nniform speed during the formation of a record, electrically-controlledmeans including a combined penetratin and shearing member movable toward an from and also with the stri to intermittingly penetrate the latter an form elongated, rectangular determinate length but of uniform width, the movement of said member with the strip effecting the shearing operation rvitlioiit retardation of the strip, each penetration of I the strip beginning a perforation.'

15. In apparatus for recordingtelemovement of the stri speed uring the formation of a record, in combination, a rotatable, annularly: rooved roll over which the strip asses, a vi ratable carrier, a member pivota y mounted thereon and having a penetratin tooth and a segmental shearing edge afiaeent thereto, the point of thetooth penetrating the strip and entering the roove in the roll back of the 'be made in the strip.

16. In recording apparatus in which a record-receiving strip 1s adapted tobemoved at uniform speed during the formation of a record, a vibratable carrier, a member pivotally mounted thereon and movable with and also relative to the carrier, said member having a penetrating tooth and a curved shearing ed e, bodily movement of the said member wit the carrier toward the strip causing the tooth to enetrate the strip, the shearing edge therea ter crossing the path of and continuing the perforation initiated y such penetration, said pivoted member movin in unison with the strip during the shearing action, electrically-controlled means to govern the vibrations of thecarrier and thereby determine the,length of each perforation, and means on the pivotedmember to terminate,

independently of retraction of the carrier,

the shearing action after a perforation of maximum length has been made.

17. In a recording apparatus, an annularly-grooved, rotatable roll over which a record -receiving strip is adapted to be longitudinally moved, a slotter having a penetratin portion, a spring-retracted carrier there or pivotally mounted above they strip and movable toward the same, electromechanical means to intermittingly depress the carrier and cause the penetrating portion of the slot-ter to penetratethe strip, longitudinal movement of the strip following penetration thereof efiecting movement of the slotter in unison therewith relatively to its carrier, and a convex shearing edge on the slotter, successive port-ions of such edge acting upon the strip to continue the initial perforation of the strip duri such unison movement, the duration of t e depression .of the carrier determining the length of the perforation.

18. In a recording apparatus, a rotatable roll having an annular groove therein, a

slotter having a segmental shearing edge slotter is disengaged from the strip automatically when a slot of maximum length has been made.

.ing'member and support toward and from angularly movable, segmentallyredged member adjacent the other face of the strip, and controlling means to efi'ect relative movement of said members and cause the leading end of the segmental edge to penetrate the strip and enter-the recess, successive portions of said edge acting. upon and shearing the strip during angular movement of the segmentally-edged member, the length of the shear-cut belng determined by the amplitude of the arc of said edge which crosses the path of the strip.

20. In recordmg apparatus, in combination, a member movable toward and from a longitudinally movable record-receiving strip and also movable longitudinally thereof, said member having a' shearing edge to pass through and cut the strip, electricallycontrolled meansto cause the said member to .mtermittingly engage 'and pass through the'moving st-rip, movement of the latter efi'ecting movement of successive portions of the shearing ed e across the; strip while the said memberis bodily moved in unison with the strip, and acting also to disengage the shearlng edge of said member from the strip when a slot of maximum length has been formed, and means to restore automatically the said member'to operative condit1on after disengagement "of its shearing edge rom the strip.

21. In recording apparatus, in combinat1on,,a rotatable, annularly-grooved-support across which a record-receiving strip is moved lon itudinally during the formation of a recor a shearing member opposite the groove and adapted to penetrate the moving strip, enter and traverse the groove and press the strip against the support, successlve portions of said member actingupon and making a shear-cut in the strip at such t me, and means to eflt'ect' and control relative and intermittent movement-0f the sheareach other and determine the length of each cut made in the strip. 7

22. In recording a paratus in -which a record-receiving mem r is adapted to be moved at uniform speed during the recording of a message, in combination, a slotter having an elongated, double edged shearing face and 'intermittingly movable to cause the leading end of the said face to penetrate, and successive portions of each edge thereof to engage and'cut a slot in, said recordreceiving member while passing therethrough, the slotter simultaneously moving bodily in the direction of travel of and in unison with said member, and means to determine the duration of such cooperation oi; the slotter and the record-receiving member, to regulate the length of theslot cut therein.

23. A recorder including a marker adapted to cut slots of varying length in'the recording tape by meansof a continuous shearing action and thereby forming depending cut through a marking tape to form open slots therein of variable length.

26. A recorder including a marker adapted to cut slots of varying length in the recording-tape by means oi a continuous cutting aetion', substantially as described.

27. A recorder including a marker adapted to cut slots of varying length in the recording-tape by means of a continuous shearing actlon and thereby forming tongues, substantially as "described.

28. A recorder including a shearing marker adapted to slot the tape to form a tongue by means of a continuous shearing action, and means to operate said marker, substantially as described.

29. A recorder including a shearing marker adapted to cut slots of varying length in the recording-tape by means-of a continuous shearing action,substantially as described. 30. A recorder including a slotting-tool adapted to slot the'recording-tape, means to operate said tool and hold it in engagement with the recording-tape for difierent lengths of time, whereby slots of varying lengths are cut in said tape, substantially as described. I v

31. A recorder including a pivoted-carrier, and segmental slotting-tool pivoted thereto, and means tooperate said carrier to force the slotting-tool through the record'- ing-tape and form a slot therein, substantially as described. l

w 32. A recorder including a pivoted-carrier, a segmental slotting-tool pivoted therehaving an initial cutting-tooth, substantially 10 to, and means to operate said carrier to force as described. 7

the slotting-tool through the recording-tape, In testimony whereof, I have signed my and means to operate the recording-tape name to this specification in the presence of while the slotting-tool is in engagement two subscribin witnesses.

therewith to move the slotting-tool and form J RANCIS A. SKELTON. a slot therein, substantially asi'described. Witnesses:

33. A recorder including a slotting-tool JOHN C.- EDWARDS,

adapted to cut slots in the recording-tape THOMAS J. DRUMMoND; 

